Dems rage after House GOP votes to force Biden to continue weapons shipments to Israel

By 
 May 16, 2024

Last week, President Joe Biden bowed to the radical elements of his party and paused weapons shipments to Israel. 

Now, Democrats are raging mad after House Republicans held a vote to force the 81-year-old president to unpause the weapons shipments, according to Axios.

Fox News reported that the bill, the Israel Security Assistance Support Act, "would condemn the president’s posture on Israel’s Gaza invasion while compelling the Biden administration to expeditiously send any weapons shipments already approved by Congress."

The bill has caused an uproar in Congress, with many Dems upset with the bill and others, according to Fox, joining House Republicans on passing the measure.

Contentious debate

The bill was debated on the House floor this week and nothing was held back from either side, including from House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX), who made his stance on the matter crystal clear.

"President Biden's decision to withhold weapons approved by myself, the chairman and the ranking member and appropriated by Congress, defied congressional intent and is tantamount to an arms embargo," McCaul said during the debate.

He added, "Red lines are meant for our enemies. Red lines are not meant for our allies and our friends. But that's precisely what this administration is doing to Israel."

Notably, the bill would also essentially defund the Secretary of Defense, Secretary of State and the National Security Council if weapons shipments to Israel already approved by Congress are delayed.

Some Democrats, such as pro-Israel Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), remained undecided on the bill, saying that it's essentially already dead once it hits the Dem-controlled Senate.

Fox News reported that on Thursday, 16 House Democrats joined Republicans in voting in favor of the bill.

Senate shoots it down

Not surprisingly, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) shot down the Republicans' bill before it even hits his desk in the Senate.

Biden and the White House have already signaled that it would be vetoed if it somehow managed to pass through the Senate.

"The bill is a misguided reaction to a deliberate distortion of the Administration’s approach to Israel. The President has been clear: we will always ensure Israel has what it needs to defend itself," the White House said.

It added:

"Furthermore, this bill, if enacted, could lead to spiraling unintended consequences, prohibiting the United States from adjusting our security assistance posture with respect to Israel in any way, including to address unanticipated emergent needs, even if Israel and the United States agree that military needs have changed and supplies should change accordingly."

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